Student-Teacher Relationships and Classroom Quality: Implications for Children of Color Hannah Kerby, MA Rachel Schumacher, MA Susan Sheridan, PhD Iheoma Iruka, PhD Dong-ho Choi, BS Natalie Koziol, PhD Amanda Witte, PhD Amanda Prokasky, PhD
Presentation Overview Introduction Research Design Findings Implications for School Psychologists
Introduction
Teacher-Child Relationships • Close and secure relationships with teachers are associated with better social-emotional and academic outcomes for children (Allen et al., 2011) • Close relationships are protective for students who experience learning and behavior problems (Baker, 2006) • Conflictual teacher-child relationships are associated with declines in prosocial behaviors and achievement (Hamre & Pianta, 2001)
Classroom Quality • High-quality classrooms promote children’s learning and development through providing foundations for autonomy, exploration, engagement, and responsibility (Cadima et al., 2016) • There are established associations between classroom climate and children’s social competence and achievement (Schmitt et al., 2018) • High quality classrooms may provide more benefits for children with learning and behavioral difficulties (Cadima et al., 2016)
Classroom Experiences of Children of Color Evidence suggests that children of color • – are more likely to have less close and more conflictual relationships with teachers (Gilliam et al., 2016; Split & Hughes, 2015) – endorse a significantly lower sense of belonging and more negative interactions with their teachers (Bradshaw et al., 2010) – are less likely to be in high-quality classroom environments (Early et al., 2010) The extent to which these inequities in learning experiences • influence children’s early achievement and social development has been underexplored
Critical Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CCRP) Framework Dispositions, equal access, Equity & high expectations for all Excellence Identity development, Learning and teaching cultural heritage, Identity & Developmental styles, cultural variation multiple perspectives, Achievement Appropriateness in psychological needs affirmation of diversity CCRP Teaching Skill development in cultural Caring, relationships, interaction, Whole Relationships context, home-school-community classroom atmosphere Child connections, empower students Adapted from Brown-Jeffy & Cooper, 2011
Our Purpose To examine how teacher-child relationships and classroom quality in kindergarten function across racial/ethnic groups
Research Questions 1 What is the nature of teacher-child relationships and classroom quality experienced during the kindergarten year across racial/ethnic groups? 2 What is the relationship between teacher-child relationships, classroom quality, and children’s achievement and social outcomes during kindergarten? 2a Does race/ethnicity moderate this relationship?
Research Design
Setting 161 Total Kindergarten 107 Urban Classrooms 54 Rural 82 Total Schools 56 Urban 26 Rural 22 Total Districts 9 Urban 13 Rural
Participants n = 241 (139 urban; 102 rural) Age (M, SD) 6.11 (0.29) Gender 50.6% male Race White, non-Hispanic 52.2% Black, non-Hispanic 12.7% Hispanic/Latinx 24.6% Parent Education < HS degree 14.6% HS Diploma/GED 23.3% Some college 39.2% 4 year degree+ 22.9% Family Income At or below 150% PL and/or receive 71.1% government support Home Language English 79.6% Other language 20.4%
Teacher Participants n = 161 (107 urban; 54 rural) Age ( M, SD ) 39.74 (11.52) Gender 99.4% Female Race White, non-Hispanic 92.4% Black, non-Hispanic 0.6% Hispanic/Latinx 4.5% Other, non-Hispanic 2.5% Teacher Education Bachelor’s Degree 53.5% Master’s Degree or Higher 46.5% Teacher Experience ( M, SD ) # years as a teacher (including part-time) 14.19 (9.60)
Measures Predictors Outcomes Student-Teacher Woodcock Johnson Tests Student- Relationship Scale (STRS) Children’s of Achievement (WJ-III) Teacher Achievement Closeness Broad Reading • • Relationships Conflict Broad Math • • Classroom Assessment Social Skills Scoring System (CLASS) Improvement System Children’s Emotional Support (SSIS) Classroom • Social Skills Quality Classroom Social Skills • • Organization Problem Behaviors • Instructional Support • All collected in spring of Kindergarten year
Analysis • Univariate stepwise regression models – Predictors were added in a block-wise selection method – Standardized regression coefficients were used to compare the relative importance among predictors in the model • To address clustering effect, maximum likelihood estimation method with Huber-White “sandwich” estimator was used • Covariates: child gender, preschool attendance, parent education, income level, home language
Findings
Research Question #1 What is the nature of teacher-child relationships and classroom quality experienced during the kindergarten year across race/ethnic groups? 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 * 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Conflict Closeness * p < 0.05 White Black Latinx
Research Question #1 cont. What is the nature of teacher-child relationships and classroom quality experienced during the kindergarten year across race/ethnic groups? 7 6.5 6 * 5.5 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Emotional Support Instructional Support Classroom Organization White Black Latinx * p < 0.05
Research Question #2 What is the link between teacher-child relationship, classroom quality, and children’s achievement and social skills during Kindergarten? Higher levels of closeness in teacher-child relationship More social skills T,P Fewer problem Higher math scores behaviors T,P Higher levels of conflict in teacher-child relationship More problem behaviors T,P Fewer social skills T,P No relationship between teacher-child relationship and reading scores • T = teacher-report; P = parent-report
Research Question #2 What is the link between teacher-child relationship, classroom quality, and children’s achievement and social skills during Kindergarten? Higher levels of instructional support Fewer problem Fewer social skills T behaviors P • No relationship between emotional support or classroom organization and academic or social-emotional outcomes T = teacher-report; P = parent-report
Research Question #2a Is the relationship between teacher-child relationship and outcomes moderated by race/ethnicity? • The relationship between conflict in the teacher-child relationship and parent- reported problem behaviors is strongest for White children, followed by Latinx children, followed by Black children Black Children Latinx Children White Children Conflict in Teacher- Conflict in Teacher- Conflict in Teacher- Child Relationship Child Relationship Child Relationship Problem behaviors P Problem behaviors P Problem behaviors P Thicker arrows denote stronger relationships P = parent-report
Research Question #2a Is the relationship between classroom quality and outcomes moderated by race/ethnicity (Latinx)? With race as a moderator, the relationship between instructional support • and social skills T becomes positive for Latinx children only Negative relationship between instructional support and problem • behaviors T is stronger for Latinx children compared to White and Black children There is a significant positive relationship between instructional support • and reading scores for Latinx children only T = teacher-report; P = parent-report
Research Question #2a Is the relationship between classroom quality and outcomes moderated by race/ethnicity (Black)? The relationship between instructional support and problem behaviors P is • positive for Black children, but negative for White and Latinx children There is a significant positive relationship between classroom organization • and problem behaviors T for Black children only There is a significant positive relationship between emotional support and • reading scores for Black children only T = teacher-report; P = parent-report
Implications for School Psychologists
Recap of Findings • Black children had significantly more conflictual relationships with teachers when compared to White and Latinx children • Black children were more likely to be in classrooms with less classroom organization than White and Latinx children • Teacher-child relationship quality was related to children’s social skills, problem behaviors, and math scores regardless of race
Recap of Findings • Instructional support had stronger effects on Latinx children’s social development and reading scores than White and Black children’s • Instructional support had a positive relationship with problem behaviors for Black children, but a negative relationship for White or Latinx children • Classroom organization had a positive relationship with problem behaviors for Black children only • Emotional support had stronger effects on Black children’s reading scores than White and Latinx children’s
Take Home Point • Classroom processes and relationships at school are important • But they function differently depending on child race/ethnicity and developmental domain • One size does not fit all
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